BUSINESS WIRE - 44 Montgomery St, 39th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104; Tel: (415) 986-4422; FAX: (415) 788-5335 - Friday, 29 November 1996, 5:00 P.M.
In commemoration of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, Federated Department Stores, Inc. announced today that corporate and division contributions made nationally to projects and organizations dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention, research and support throughout the country will total more than $2 million at year end.
"The toll taken by AIDS on the creative talents of America's fashion sector over the last 10 years has been devastating," Allen Questrom, Federated's chairman and chief executive officer, said of the company's involvement. "As retailers, we are reminded daily of the vast need that exists in the effort to find a cure for this disease, as well as to support those individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS. We were one of the first companies to step to the fore a decade ago in becoming actively involved in AIDS-funding initiatives nationally, and on the occasion of World AIDS Day it seems appropriate that we renew our commitment in this way."
Questrom noted that the $2 million contributed to HIV/AIDS projects this year included direct gifts by the company and its operating divisions, primarily through the Federated Department Stores Foundation, as well as dollar-for-dollar Foundation matches of employee contributions to eligible AIDS-related organizations in communities where Federated stores and divisions operate.
Among Federated's major AIDS contributions are the following:
-- In Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Macy's West PASSPORT '96 fashion extravaganza raised $1.4 million for HIV/AIDS research, education and care this year. Beneficiaries were: American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR), Center for HIV and Digestive Diseases, Magic Johnson Foundation, Inc., Project Angel Food, Project Open Hand, UCSF/Macy's Center for Creative Therapies and several other California AIDS research organizations. Since becoming an HIV/AIDS fundraiser in 1988, the annual event has raised more than $4.1 million.
-- In New York, in a first time cooperative effort launched this fall, Federated and its Bloomingdale's, Macy's East and Stern's divisions joined in making a $100,000 grant to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation's "Kids 4 Kids" event to be held April 13, 1997. This family carnival and street fair funds the Elizabeth Glaser Scientist Awards, given to noted researchers in the name of the celebrated Pediatric AIDS Foundation co-founder.
--In Atlanta, Rich's/Lazarus/Goldsmith's is donating $25,000 to sponsor 7,000 meals for Project Open Hand which serves meals to HIV positive clients. In addition, Rich's employee volunteers cook and package meals for the organization each month.
-- In Los Angeles, a $100,000 donation by Macy's West will sponsor "Divine Design" in December. This designer showcase and HIV/AIDS fundraiser benefits Project Angel Food and their mission to prepare and deliver hot meals to people with AIDS.
-- In Columbus, OH, Rich's/Lazarus/Goldsmith's sponsored the AIDS Task Force "Art For Life" auction which raised $300,000 to support a program of respite care, nutritional advice, outreach and a hotline.
From coast to coast, more than three dozen AIDS programs and organizations have benefited from contributions by Federated and its divisions in 1996. Among the recipients are: ActionAIDS in Philadelphia, AIDS Housing of Washington, AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati and Lexington, Boston Living Center, Cornell University/NYU Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Jerusalem House in Atlanta, Hope House of the Palm Beaches, Latino Commission on AIDS, Minnesota AIDS project and the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force.
In addition to dollar grants, Federated's divisions are involved in their communities through the innovative Partners In Time employee volunteerism program. Partners In Time was initiated in 1989 as a means of channeling extensive individual volunteerism into a powerful force for change.
Associates from all store divisions -- Bloomingdale's, The Bon Marche, Burdines, Goldsmith's, Lazarus, Macy's, Rich's and Stern's -- as well as Federated's support divisions have volunteered nearly 5,000 hours of their time thus far in 1996. Already this year, employees developed more than 40 AIDS-related projects which benefit both children and adults.
Volunteer efforts throughout the country have included: hosting a holiday party for kids with HIV/AIDS, leading food drives, delivering Easter baskets to children with HIV, sponsoring educational speakers such as AIDS expert Mary Fisher, donating decorated Christmas trees to numerous residences and health centers for people living with AIDS and participating in the Florida AIDS Ride - biking 250 miles from Orlando to Miami.
Partners In Time volunteers also strengthen communities through traditional fundraisers such as AIDS Walks and "Races for the Cure" -- sponsoring and walking in New York's "Race to Deliver" which feeds homebound people with AIDS and participating in AIDS Walks from coast to coast: Alabama, Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Dayton, Evansville, Indianapolis, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Francisco and Washington. Federated-sponsored teams distinguished themselves both in numbers of walkers and dollars raised -- an estimated $120,000.
Federated, with corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York, is one of the nation's leading department store retailers, with annual sales of more than $15 billion. Federated currently operates more than 400 department stores, under the names of Bloomingdale's, The Bon Marche, Burdines, Goldsmith's, Lazarus, Macy's, Rich's and Stern's, and 150 specialty stores in 36 states. Federated support divisions include: Federated Corporate Services and the Financial and Credit Services Group, Cincinnati, Ohio; Federated Logistics, Secaucus, New Jersey; Federated Merchandising/Product Development, New York City; and Federated Systems Group, Atlanta, Georgia.
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(Note: Information on Federated and its operating divisions is available on the Internet, at http://www.federated-fds.com Copies of past press releases and corporate background data, also is available by calling Fax-On-Demand at 1-800-853-9150).
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CONTACT: Federated Department Stores, Inc., Cincinnati Jean Reisinger Coggan, 513/579-7315
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Copyright © 1996 - Business Wire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Business Wire, Permissions Desk, Business Wire, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036; Tel: (212) 575-8822; FAX: (212) 575-1854. http://www.businesswire.com.
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